Pingliang Prefecture is a quaint little village nestled near the Kingtong Mountains in China; this fictional version of the city has existed for thousands of years. Others have been integrated for more than a Millennia into its culture and way of life. Almost every citizen is at least a low level aware; if not superstitious enough to perform small, minor practices themselves. It's not on a trade hub and outlying farms are common. People come through infrequently and progress moves very slowly. Words on the wind are of a revolution and folk nervously go about their days. There is a realm layer in this mountainous region called the floating world where things are more abstract, blurrier and mistier – it's known as a dangerous shortcut to the common folk, but wandering down a wrong alley at a wrong time can absolutely find someone in this unbound space.
It's in this time of worry that several groups of unusual strangers have found themselves in Pingliang:
The First being a group of strange Westerners; no one saw them enter by road but here they are. They've taken up rooms at a local inn, the Laughing Pot; no one knows how long they will stay.
The Second being a small detachment in Imperial Livery, they've set up bivouacs on the edge of town and have begun filtering through the populace hunting sorcerers.
The third exist in rumors, some think the revolution has already come to Pingliang and the embers are being stoked at this very moment
For some In-Universe story Vignettes see:
https://archiveofourown.org/works/51814297
Celestial Bureaucracy:
The Other and Practitioner bureaucrats; having received the mandate of heaven from a previous Emperor. Their reach is wide, but their speed is slow – the gears of the Law do turn.
Wild Others
New or experienced Others that live between the spaces that Humanity has forgotten. These others have no license or permit to be within Pingliang and work out a meager existence. Preying on the outskirts of mostly aware.
Oni League
Agitators, revolutionaries, freedom fighters.The Oni League is here to reclaim space that the bureaucracy has systematically worked to grind the Others under heel, lighting the fires of glorious revolution, and vengeance.
The Zhang Family
A prominent practitioner family with an ancient family practice. Well established and well reported with a bevy of bound others, servants and sycophants.
The Liu Family
An upstart family that is just barely nearing its fourth century as a practitioner edifice – their practice is less refined than their rivals, their resources more meager; but what they lack for in established tradition they attempt to make up for in ambition.
The Wildflowers
A loose coalition of lesser practitioners and merchants who do not have the scope and scale of either of the established families – but from shops and kiosks in the dreaming district they ply their practices and wares; hungry for a bigger piece of prestige, and the pie.
The Interlopers
Not local, this group has come to Pingliang from the West; one part exploration survey, one part exploitation survey. These practitioners are quickly making a name for themselves with open smiles and grasping hands.
The Temple
Older than the prefecture and older than the history of the region. This temple has stood; its priests are mysterious figures in rich scarlet robes; some masked, some not. Few have ventured into the shrine itself; and none who have, have spoken about what waits within. Its presence is mostly somnolent, there are stirrings in this time of tribulation.
Sorcerer Hunters
Recent Arrivals and a remnant of an order founded on the order of the Qianlong Emperor; they seek to hunt sorcerers who might be a threat to Imperial power.
A - Outlying Farms
Small farmsteads up on the mountain, usually a single extended family manages a large swath of wilderness with scattered plots.
B - Outward Road
The Main trade route wherein folks from across china enter or leave. It's a dusty and worn path that stretches far into the hinterlands. The occasional way station, inn or house abuts the path.
C - Temple Wilds
A wild and untamed forest on the mountainside, dark and twisting paths lead to the white, and well maintained temple grounds; inhabited by its mysterious keepers.
D - Wet Market
This is where livestock, feed, and related goods are usually bought and sold. The air is redolent with dust, and the smells of sizzling fat and coppery blood.
E - The School Yard
The only schools in Piangling are here, as well as a number of independent tutors and sages. It's a quiet district with a number of small unassuming homes.
F - The Flop houses
One of the places the working poor live in Pingliang, large maze-like structures of open berths, crowded rooms, cots and hammocks that stink heavily of sweat and incense.
G - The Dreaming Market
A wonder of Pingliang, festooned with colorful lanterns and frequent soporific mists – the most exotic goods are sold here and it seems particularly close to the floating world. Most of the practice items or services would be found here, clustered in the claustrophobic alleys and rows of the dreaming market – shops never seem to be in the exact same place each time.
H - Central Government
This courtyard contains a gleaming golden five story structure. It is the Palace of the Prefect, wherein all the divine administration of Pingliang is done.
I - The Alley of Awe
Monuments, records and parades frequent the alley, with some of the higher end mundane luxury goods and craftsmanship on display for purchase.
J -
The Liu Estate
Squat constructions of colorful slate near the docks, there is a continuous hubbub as things come into the various warehouse, outhouse and storage buildings for trade within Pingliang – while the town is not a trade hub, one might be forgiven for thinking it was with the general bustle in the Liu estate.
K - Docks
A few shacks, an Inn, a warehouse and a fishery, with old wooden docks that reach out into the Steaming lake. Fishermen cast off every morning and return every evening with the day's catch. An ornate Ferry has a dedicated slip for the Zhang Pleasure cruises here.
L - The Steaming Lake
A bend in the river creates a large lake that Pingliang sits at the edge of, it's usually unseasonably warm; almost like a massive natural hot spring. In the mornings steam, mistlike usually roils off of it. In the afternoon it cools some, but at sunset the steam returns and as the setting sun filters down it can look like the lake is coated in flames.
M - The Slinking Slum
Tumbledown ramshackle poorly maintained structures fall into each other in what looks like a continual state of collapse. It's hard to find anywhere day to day and within the warren it almost seems like the tenement structure
move like stalking cats.
N- The Estates
Fine small compounds for the families of well renowned, artists, philosophers, craftspeople or sages. These are the aware that have made a dynasty for themselves, but not to the same level as the prominent families.
O - Thieves Row
A perpetually shadowy set of streets of ill repute. Much business happens here that is illegal; it has received token patrols but whenever a concerted effort has been made the ne'er do wells go to ground and pop up elsewhere. The current lord's stance has been to concentrate the rot in one place, such that the genteel citizenry knows where the bad part of town is, and to stay away/
P - Inn market
There is not enough trade to maintain a large number of inns in Pingliang – however from the outlying farms, workers tired from work in the fields that are near to town – fishermen who can afford a nice room from time to time, there is a small cottage industry. There are four main Inns, all concentrated here in this space.
Q- Respectable Homes
Less nice than the states, but still well constructed, generously spaced and walled. These are family compounds for the middle class of laborers within Pingliang
R- Century Park
This is a large maintained park for the beautyment and enjoyment of Pingliang, it is dedicated to Empress Zeritan Dasheng, who visited Pingliang once long ago. Most festivals, fairs, or plays that have a scale larger than street performance or "government sponsored" would occur here.
S- The Zhang Family Palace
A massive estate comprising multiple structures, outbuildings, salons, tea houses. Five branches of the family each have their own multistory palace within the compound which is encircled by a magically treated barrier wall.
T - The South Shore
A Mud-marsh south of town, it contains runoff from the greenfields and twisted wisteria trees clawing their way up from the muck. Eel-fishing can sometimes be accomplished in the murk.
U - Green Fields.
The nearest set of rice fields to Pingliang and a primary breadbasket – while a variety of vegetables and livestock come from the outlying farms, the regular rice harvest comes from the green fields.
